Sheet-metal-working machine



Feb. 9 1926. 1,572,376

J. BINGHAM I SHEET METAL WORKING MACHINE I Filed May 6. 1925 3Sheefis-Sheet u m- JW- 1 .4. I l I l I I i a I I ll I I I Feb. 9 1926.-7 1,572,376

J. BINGHAM SHEET METAL WORKING IACHINE Filed May a, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet2 i El 3 ,z -/W'/ ////////V/ Feb. 9 1926.

J. BINGHAM SHEET METAL WORKING MACHINE Filed May 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 519' W" 1 2 7 m 1'' A7 /1B w g 1 10 9 i Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

JEREMIAH BINGHAM, 0F TOLEDO, oHro, AssIGnon T0 THE AMERICAN-NATIONALCOMPANY, or rename, OHIQ, a conronarron or 01110.

SHEET METAL-WORKING MACI-ITNE.

Application filed May 6, 1925. Serial No. 28,294.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH BINGHAM, a. citizen of the United States,and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and the State of Ohio,have invented a new and useful Sheet-Metal-7orking Machine, whichinvention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to metal working machines and particularly tomachines for bending the edges of sheet metal.

Objects of the invention are to curl or roll an edge of a sheet metalstrip of relatively light gauge in a simple and improved manner withoutliability of distortion; to provide a metal working machine which will.readily bend without undesirable distortion the edge of sheet metal oflight gauge, and to provide a machine of this character-which will rollan edge of a sheet metal strip in a the new and improved mannerhereinafter described; and to providega metal working machine havingthe'new HDClllnPlOVGCl features of constructlon, arrangement andoperation hereinafter described.

The invention is shown by way of illus' tration in the accompanyingdrawings in which 4 Fig. 1 is a top plan view with some of the partsbroken away of a metal working machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2

is a section on the line 2-2 of Fi 1; Fig. 3 is a section on theline 33of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the clampingmembers separated; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of F 1; and Fig. 6is a fragmentary perspective of the strip after the side edges thereofhave been rolled and with the end portion bent at an obtuse angle. v

The embodiment of the invention shown for illustrative purposescomprises a, metal working machine or apparatus for curling or rollingthe edge or edges of sheet metal strips of relatively light gauge. Whileit has been found to be a comparatively sim ple problem to curl theedges of sheet metal strips of relatively heavy gauge, the lighter metalstrips present a more diliicult problem for solution. An importantfactor tobe taken into consideration in the latter case is the fact thatthe metal almost invariably buckles when curling is attempted -so thatit has heretofore been necessary in most instances to utilize lillersaround which the metal is curled, subsequently the fillers are usuallyremoved in one way or another. This procedure necessitates considenabletime and labor and is therefore quite expensive as well as beingunsatisfactory for ther reasons.

In the drawings, the machine is provided with a pair of relativelymovable clamping members 1 and" 2, the clamping member 1 beingstationary and the clamping memher 2 being moved toward and away fromthe member 1 by means of any suitable source of power. The clampingmembecl consists of a rectangular plate having on its upper surface aclamping block 3 which extends longitudinally thereof and is providedwith roundedlongitudinal edges a The width of the;;clarnping block 3 isso chosen that the side edges of a sheet metal strip 5 placed thereonproject to one side thereof, as indicated in Fig. l.- a

Cooperatingwith the clamping block 3 for holdingthesheet metal strip 5in position is a second clamping block 6, which is fixed to and dependsfrom the clamping member 2. Theonter ends ofthe block 3 extend upwardlyand outwardly, as indicated at 7, and the outer ends ofthe complementalblock 6 are cut away as shown at 8, so that the'two blocks interfit forfirm- 1y clamping the metal strip 5 therebetween. For permitting aslight movement between the block 6 and clamping member 2, screws 20'are fixed to the block-6 and are providedrwith heads 21 which aremovable in sockets 22 in the member 2, and positioned between the parts2 and 6 are coil springs 23 which serve to hold the block 6normally-distended and cushion the relative move ment of the parts.

' By constructing the clamping blocks With tapered, interfittingportions, as indicated, the metal strip 5 is not' only firmly andsecurely held together for the curling operation but also enables theedges at the end portions of the strip to be curled when bent at anobtuse angle, thereafter when the curl or roll of the edge isconipletedthe end portions of the strip may be bent movable transversely of theclamping memher 1 concomitantly toward or away from the clamping block3, being guided in such movement by guide members 10 (Fig. 5), whichproject into grooves formed in the under surface of the die blocks 9.The die blocks 9 are provided on the inner faces thereof withlongitudinally elongate die elements 11, which fit snugly into groovesformed in the die blocks. The die elements 11 have grooves 12 whichextend along the direction of the rounded edges 4 of the clamping'blook3. The outer face of the die elements 11 protrude slightly beyond theouter face of the die blocks and the clamping block 6 is formed withgrooves 6, which are adapted to bear against the shoulders formed by thedie elements as will hereinafter be described.

For concomitantly moving the die blocks 9 toward and away from the block3, toggle levers 12 and 13 are pivoted at one end to longitudinallyextending rods 14:. The opposite ends of the levers 12 are pivoted tobrackets 15, which areset. in recesseslti in the die blocks '9, and theopposite ends of the levers 13 are pivoted to brackets 1?. Connectingthe rods -14-to the clamping member 2 are linkslS, which are pivoted tothe rods at one end and to brackets 19 fixed to the clamping, member 2at the other end.

In the operation of the machine, a strap 5 is first placed on the block3 withthe side edges thereof; bentslightly downwardly, as indicated inFig. 4', and 'withfthe opposite end portionsbent upwardly to form anobtuse angle with the body portion in general to conform to the upturnedend portions 7 of the block 3. When the clamping memher 2 is forceddownwardly, the block 6 first engages the sheet metal strip '5 andsecures it firmly in position. Upon further movement of the clampingmember 2, the die blocks 9 are concomitantly moved inwardly toward theblock 8 by means of the toggle mechanism above described, so that thedown-turned side edges of the sheet metal strip areengaged by the slotsor grooves-12 in the die elements 11.

Further inward movement of the die blocks 9 causes the side edges of themetal strip to move around the inside of the grooves 12 thereby to curlor roll the edges. A slight upward buckling of the strip 5 may occurduring this operation and in order to overcome this, the block 6 engagesthe upper surface of thestrip 5, thus flattening it and also assistingin the final rolling operation. As indicated-in Fig. 3, the roundededges 4 are engaged by the edge portions of the metal strip a'nd'aidiii-properly directing these portions to form the roll.

Thereafter by elevation of the clamping member 2 the several parts arereturned to tions which have been bent to a considerable degree onlyhave to be bent but a short way to 'form a right angle bend and thisbend may be effected without damaging or distorting the metal in theregion of the bend. This. is particularly important because heretoforein bending sheet metal strips having rolled edges ithas beenneces- .saryto utilize'fillers to preventdistortion of the metal at the bend, but aswill readily be apparent by thisapparatus the strips may be bent withoutthe aid of such fillers and the timeand trouble required to effect theseope'rations'is reduced to a minimum.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of constructionand ar-- rangement may be effected without departing from the spirit ofthe invention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

I claim I v 1. Ina metal working machine, a'pair of clamping blocks,said blocksbeing shaped to receivea sheet metal strip therebetween withthe end portions of the strip bent to form an obtuse angle with the bodyof the strip, means on one of-said blocks and movable transversely ofsaid strip for curling an edge thereof, and mechanism actuated byrelative movement of said blocks for operating said curling means.

- 2. In a metal working machine, the com-- bination of a pair ofrelatively movable members, a clamping block on one of said membershaving rounded edges, die blocks on said last member movabletransversely thereof, said blocks having longitudinallyextendinggrooves, toggle levers connected at one end to the respective die blocksand at the other end to said last member, and means carried by the othero-f'saidmembers for concomitantly actuating said toggles to move saiddie elements in the direction of said block when said members are movedtoward each other, whereby the opposite edges of thesheet metal stripare progressively forced into said grooves thereby to roll the same, therounded edges of the block being adapted to cooperate therewith. 3. Ametal working machinecomprising-a pair of relatively movable clampingmembers, a clamping block fixedto one of said members, a clamping blockcarriedby the other ofsaid members and having limited movementrelatively thereto, said blocks be adapted to receive a sheet metalstrip therebetween with the end portions thereof bent to form an obtuseangle with the body of the strip; die elements arranged on oppositesides of the longitudinal edges of said strip and adapted to engage andcurl the edges thereof, and toggle means connected to said clampingmembers, respec- In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name tothis specification.

JEREMIAH BINGHAM.

